Page 26 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

I didn’t respond right away, just exhaled slowly, unused to hearing him give outright praise.

Truth was, I’d been thinking like a boss for longer than anyone realized. While Gio had been our family’s hammer, I’d been the architect—designing structures that would stand long after the initial blow. Tommy had his charm, Marco his loyalty. Me? I had foresight. The ability to see ten moves ahead on a board most people didn’t even know they were playing on.

“People are going to die for what happened to our family,” I finally said, voice low and certain. “For even attempting to come for my Omega.”

Emilio set his glass down with a soft clink. “Of course they are. But you’re going to make sure you get the right bastards.”

I nodded once, a sharp jerk. “I can’t afford to make mistakes. To miss something. To trust the wrong person.”

“Like I said, thinking like a boss.”

“It’s what you’ve been grooming me for.” I met his stare. “Since I was old enough to understand what our family really does.”

Emilio leaned back in his leather chair, the worn material creaking beneath him. “There’s a difference between being groomed for something and being ready for it.”

“And you think I’m ready now?” I challenged, needing to know where his head was at.

My father’s face remained impassive, but I caught the slight crinkle at the corners of his eyes—the closest thing to a smile I’d seen from him all night.

“I think you’ve been ready for a while,” he admitted. “But tonight confirmed it.”

Emilio rose slowly from his chair, moving to the window that overlooked the sprawling family estate. From here, you could see the yard where we’d played as kids, the garage where Marco had learned to strip down engines, the gardens where our mother had taught us how to grow our own tomatoes so we could make proper sauce on Sundays.

“You’ve made me proud tonight, Dimitri. Once you’ve cut out the cancer and dealt with Rocco, I believe it’s time to discuss the succession.”

This is what I’d been working toward for years. I’d sacrificed for it, bled for it. None of it came as a surprise—I’d known this day was coming—but hearing it spoken aloud made it real in a way it hadn’t been before.

Emilio turned from the window, his profile sharp against the darkness beyond. “You’ve earned it.” For a moment, something flickered behind his eyes—something raw and human that made him look older than his years.

“Thank you, father.”

Walking out of the house that night, I felt a tangible shift.

The estate behind me was quiet. That old, dangerous kind of quiet—like the air just before a bomb went off, or that pause before someone pulled a trigger.

Change was coming—fast and inevitable. And soon enough, the house, the property, the whole damnfamily, would belong tome.

Gio was by the car, arms crossed, shoulder pressed to the frame while he waited for me. He looked up as I approached, sharp eyes narrowing just slightly.

“What was that all about?”

I didn’t answer right away, shoving a hand through my hair, the only outward sign that I was still processing all of this. I exhaled slowly before answering.

“Emilio’s ready.”

Gio pushed off the car, straightening. “Well... shit.” A wry smile tugged at his mouth. “I knew the day was coming, but it still hits differently hearing it out loud.”

He wasn’t fucking wrong.

“Soon as we finish this, we’ll make it official.”

He didn’t say much. Just held my gaze, then gave a small nod. “Congrats, brother. You deserve it.”

A stretch of silence passed between us. Heavy, but not uncomfortable. The kind that said everything without saying a word.

“What now?” Gio finally asked.

I clapped him on the shoulder. “Now we take care of business.”

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